Tag Archives: Photography

At 1:23 am, April 28, 1986, the nuclear plant in Chernobyl (then part of the USSR) suffered a catastrophic meltdown, spewing radioactive material across the western Soviet Union and Europe. The result of a systems test gone wrong, the disaster is widely considered the worst nuclear mishap in history, matched on the International Nuclear Event Scale by only the Fukushima meltdown in 2011. Though the Soviet government initially tried to hide the accident, the surrounding areas had to be evacuated due to lethal levels of radiation. Twenty-eight years later, the region has become a ghost town, a barren expanse of silent cities. There is much to discuss when it comes to Chernobyl, but for today I want to share photos of what the city looks like now. These frames show a real nuclear wasteland and a world without people.

A nearby city in the 1990s. The forest has begun to blanket the streets.

As some of you may know, I spent a few weeks in June on a European adventure. The trip started in Budapest and ended in Berlin, two of the most fascinating cities I’ve ever visited. I’ve already posted my photos and experiences from Budapest—you can check them out here! Berlin is an incredible city, so I thought I’d share some of my thoughts and photos with you all.

The Fernsehturm, Berlin’s Soviet space needle, is a television tower in what was East Berlin. It is one of the few Soviet buildings still standing. The tallest building in Germany, it houses a rotating restaurant and on a good day offers a 26-mile view.

First, some history. Berlin is the capitol of Germany and sits in the heart of mainland Europe. Its central location on the Spree, Dahme, and Havel rivers has made it the capitol of multiple empires, including the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Republic, and the Third Reich. Despite these advantages, the city has a tumultuous past. It served as the headquarters of the Central Powers and the Axis in WWI and WWII respectively, tumbling into ruin after each defeat. After the Nazi’s fall in 1945, the city was divided between the Soviets and allied powers, separated in two by the infamous Berlin Wall. The city is no stranger to reconstruction.

As some of you may know, I’ve spent the last few weeks on a European excursion. The trip began in Budapest, Hungary, and I am currently exploring Berlin! Budapest is an amazing city, so I thought I’d share some of my photos and impressions with you all.

First of all some history! Budapest is the capital of Hungary, and is composed of two historically independent cities, Buda and Pest. The capital sits on the Danube River, which runs through much of Central and Eastern Europe. Hungary has been invaded many times throughout its history (most recently by the Ottoman Empire, Austria, and the Soviet Union), and these influences show in Budapest’s culture, especially in its architecture. The city served as second home for many Holy Roman Emperors, fought alongside Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and fell behind the Iron Curtain until the U.S.S.R.’s collapse in 1991.

The Internet is an incredible place. In it you can find all the news, games, and The Weekly Show blog posts to fill your wildest dreams. Scattered throughout the interwebs also live a collection of amazing photographs, ones that allow us to peer into hidden moments of history. Here is a collection of mind-blowing historical photos. As always, please share if you enjoy the post, and leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Let me know if you would like more content like this in the future! Click on a photo to expand it and view it in the gallery.

A film icon is born as a video crew films the MGM credit sequence (1928).

The Great Sphinx circa 1880. This is one of the earliest known photographs of the statue.

In case you were wondering what it’s like going to school in Maine (What’s that? You were!?), look no further. As you likely know, the northeastern United States witnessed record snowfall last week during Winter Storm Nemo, a perfect storm of a blizzard. The East Coast shut down as more than three feet (one meter) of snow fell over the course of forty-eight hours. If you have read The Weekly Show’s About page (and you totally should), you know that I go to school in a small town in the middle of nowhere Maine (woohoo!). I was able to record part of a subsequent storm on campus last week, so if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live in Maine, check out the videos below! I have uploaded a gallery of photos for you guys as well. If you like them, be sure to visit The Weekly Show’s Photography section! Enjoy!

Also, if you are curious about what it’s like to have your eyelashes frozen together and your ears coated with ice, you should definitely drop by Maine next time we have a blizzard!